Everytime I Laugh
by Queen Keri
Summary: Wherein Kuroko is being bullied at school and Midorima is Kise's over-protective roommate.


_Disclaimer: Really, you think I have the ability to own such gorgeous characters, I am so ugly /gross sobbing/_

* * *

_Every time he laughs__  
__He hopes he's watching__  
__Not so that he can see that he's happy__  
__But maybe, just maybe__  
__He'll fall for his smile__  
__Just as hard as he fell for his_

* * *

Shintarou Midorima is a kind but over-protective guy although he doesn't admit it, so when his roommate Ryouta Kise came home with a few scratches and bruise on his arm, saying that he only tripped on his way home, Midorima scolded him like he committed a murder and ended up running to the nearest drug store to buy basic first aid.

"Bandage, alcohol, cotton balls, band aids…" he counted the things on his basket before proceeding to the cashier. "It's not that we don't have a first aid kit at home, I just didn't expect Kise to freaking trip on the stairs like they were invisible." He thought, convincing himself that between his roommate and him, he was the most dependable.

Nodding to himself, he stood there in the line, waiting not so patiently for his turn on the counter. There weren't that many people in the store, he noted. Actually, there were only two customers at sight, one is him and the other, the short boy in front of him who looked like he was having troubles. Midorima would've ignored him but when five minutes had passed and he's still discussing with the equally troubled clerk, Midorima had decided to butt in.

"I'm sorry but in case you haven't notice, there's someone on the line behind you and I am kind of in a hurry." Which is partly a lie since he knew Kise won't really t die with those scratches alone. "May I ask what the matter is?" He asked, voice as sharp as ever. Midorima wore expensive looking designer clothes, eye candy accessories and shoes that seemed like they have heels, that or he was just really tall. Beautiful he was, it was as though he would murder fashion effortlessly and cause a scene. His handsome features didn't help at all either. The female clerk looked clearly intimidated but still answered, cheeks reddening a bit.

"Well, this boy wants to buy band aids." She said timidly.

"I don't see a problem with that." Midorima rolled his eyes in distaste. The clerk cringed and dipped her head down. "But sir, he wants to buy a _single _piece only. We don't sell a piece but a box of it."

The other customer, who Midorima noticed to be wearing a school uniform, suddenly spoke, his voice dainty and face almost unseen under his bangs. "Can't you really sell it to me, just this one please?"

Midorima scoffed, this is ridiculous. _Just how expensive a single box of band aid could be that this boy can't even afford it? _He sighed at insanity of the situation but just sighed AGAIN in the end.

"Look, I'll just buy the freaking box of band aid for you so can you please wait outside while I pay for my things?" He said, pushing the boy lightly. He was, obviously, unsure and surprised but did as what he was told. When gone, Midorima massaged his temples as if he was thoroughly stressed and paid silently, much to the clerk's relief.

"Here." And handed over the plastic bag to the still unknown boy. Said person was about to reach for the box when Midorima saw and paid a closer look to the boy's hands that were, at that time, already full of band aids. Actually his arms and cheeks were all bruised. There aren't major injuries but for a boy who was dressed in a high school uniform, his wounds seemed every bit out of place. How weird that Midorima didn't notice it earlier.

He looked at him from head to toe and from toe to head, "What _in the world _happened to you?" Like he was E.T.'s cousin.

"I have a name and it's Kuroko. And as much as I want to be grateful to you for buying this…" he snatched the plastic bag from Midorima's grasp. "I'm afraid what happened to me is none of your business." He said stoically.

"You know what, a simple thank you could have been better." Midorima hissed and watched Kuroko, as he called himself, opened the box and gently putted the pink band aid over his wounded knees. "There, better." He seemed satisfied with what he did and smiled.

"What _'better' _are you talking about? You didn't even disinfect it, you midget."

And as I've said before, Shintarou Midorima is a kind and over-protective guy, and this statement will remain as a fact regardless of who he helps and meet. As of the moment, Kuroko is not an exception to that.

So Midorima opened his own packages, took out the alcohol and cotton balls (that were supposed to be for Kise's by the way) and made Kuroko sit on the nearest bench. He protested silently of course but couldn't do anything else and just assented eventually. A few "Aw!", "Ouch", and "Owwie…" were heard as the nurse-to-be Midorima treated him _roughly_. Weird enough, Kuroko tried to suppress the churning feeling on his stomach as Midorima squatted in front of him and inspected the bruises on his arms. If he had known that he was blushing, he would have banged his own head on the nearest lamppost. He doesn't even know this guy.

"I know you won't answer but I will ask anyway, what really had happened?" It's not that Midorima was curious or worried; you might say that he was just residually interested.

"Nothing and stop asking, uh…" Kuroko paused. "I just tripped." And avoided eye contact.

Midorima rolled his eyes. "It's not _'uh' _but Midorima. Just call me that. And for the most part, you're an awful liar. My roommate said a while ago that he tripped too but your injuries are tenfold worse than him."

Kuroko didn't answer and Midorima, as he was putting the right amount of disinfectant on hid wounds, stole short glances at the boy. The hem of his pants were somewhat ripped off and stained, his polo shirt had some buttons missing and his face, well now that Midorima can see him clearly in daylight, is kind of, well… pretty for a guy's, he suppose. Except for the slight cut on his lip which ruined the entire pretty concept but not as much, he still looks naturally eye candy with the light azure hair and glassy teal eyes. He wondered how he will look like if he smiled.

Well that was funny, since when did he start analyzing this boy's appearance?

And although Kuroko didn't spoke of it, Midorima had an idea what was going on, his tainted uniform, crooked necktie, disheveled hair, wounds and unmatched socks… Kuroko was, more or less, a victim of school bullies. But looking at the logo of his school uniform, he came from a private all-boys academy which was kind of surprising since… private schools aren't like that, are they? Midorima didn't have an idea.

"There… that's what _better _all is about." A smile was tugging the end of Midorima's lips as he looked at the professionally taken-care of bruises Kuroko has. He wrinkled his nose in return and turned to hide an incoming blush.

"Thanks." Kuroko muttered. "And sorry for being rude earlier."

"It's all right. I was quite rude myself too." And stick out a tongue at Kuroko that caused him to smile a bit. Midorima was about to laugh too but stopped and watched his smiling face instead.

"How old are you by the way?" The blue-eyed boy asked, smoothening his pants.

"I just turned eighteen this year."

"Oh I'm eighteen this year too!" He beamed, suddenly cheerful. "You know what, I might want to have a classmate like you."

Midorima's eyes softened at the remark and resisted the urge to pat Kuroko's hair. For a second there, he thought he looked adorable and had wished that he can smile like that every time.

He crossed his arms over his chest and smirked. "If I haven't known any better, I think you've fallen for me already." He joked. Kuroko immediately frowned at him.

"That was the stupidest conclusion I've ever heard. Thank you very much." He hopped off the bench and stretched her arms, swinging them in midair. "Well, I got to go now."

"Me too." Midorima said picking up his paper bags. "And its dinnertime now, I bet my roommate had already burnt our kitchen."

Kuroko nodded and grinned weakly, slinging his book bag over his shoulders. "I'll see you around… I guess?"

"Sure."

They parted with smiles and that night, Midorima had the nicest sleep after days of being insomniac.

* * *

Occasionally, Midorima would go back to the drug store where he met Kuroko, hoping that he might catch a glimpse of the boy. Kise grew suspicious as to why he always hang around the place but brushed it off, thinking that Midorima was just having those 'days' of skin-care obsession again and that's why he's always lingering and buying skin treatment products in the said drug store.

On his second attempt, he met Kuroko again and fixed his bangs before approaching the said boy. But he grew worried when he saw that he's wearing a pharmacist mask. He ran to him right away.

"What happened to you?" He asked, brows knitted together, in displeasure, care or mix of both, it's hard to tell.

Kuroko eye's squinted nervously and looked away. "I caught a cold." And then faked a cough. Of course Midorima didn't believe him and pulled the white pharmacist mask off him face revealing a fresh bruise on his left cheek. It's quite serious if you would ask Midorima.

"You're being bullied, aren't you?" He finally asked, eyes narrowing. When Kuroko remained silent, he sighed. "I knew it." Kuroko grabbed the pharmacist mask back from him and deposited it on his pocket; he didn't have the intention to cover his face again. "I can handle it. It's not that bad."

"Not yet." Midorima scoffed, voice controlled. "It could worsen."

"Will not."

"It will."

"Are you saying that I will be in danger?" Kuroko gave him a look, searching for something.

"I didn't say anything like that. Why won't you tell it to your friends?"

"Even if I tell it to them, it won't stop. It's just the way things are and besides…" he reached to touch his bruised cheek. "It's not as if I don't fight back. Do you remember the last time we met? I can only buy a single piece of band aid because those bullies stole my wallet."

_How can he tolerate something like this? _Midorima thought. _This is ridiculous._

"Come with me." And Midorima took Kuroko's hand which made the shorter boy jump in surprise at the sudden warmth holding him. "Where are we going?" he then asked, eyebrows arched.

And before Midorima can answer, they were already in front of a little cake shop. "You can have anything you want. It's my treat. Pick anything." He finally let go of his hand, much to Kuroko's dismay. They entered inside and the bell attached to the door chimed. The smell of pastries, donuts and vanilla shake filled both of their nostrils making Kuroko's stomach growl in consideration. Midorima chuckled and soon led him to the counter made of glass. There displayed all sorts of sweets and pies.

"Cake?" Kuroko asked, looking at Midorima with mild-curiosity. "Most people would take a depressed person to an ice cream store."

"Well, I don't consider you as a _person_ _yet _and I don't like sundaes either. Unlike you, I take care of my teeth."

Kuroko shrugged. _What a weirdo. Aren't cakes bad for the teeth too?_

"Did you really do this for me or is it because you just want to eat cake yourself?"

In response, Midorima ruffled his already messy hair and winked. "What do you think?" And that earned him a playful punch from the short boy. Too bad Midorima missed the visible flush on his pale rounded cheeks.

"Ah this is bad. At this point, I wish you really went to our school instead."

They left after eating and while Kuroko excused himself to the bathroom, Midorima browsed through Kuroko's phone that the boy left on the table; copied the said boy's number and saved his own on it under the name, with capital bold letters: **ALMIGHTY MIDORIMA.**

* * *

Of all the troublesome things that had happened to Midorima, maybe delivering Kise's assignments to his school early in the morning (that he left that day on their apartment) would be an exception. Just as he was going down the road, a few blocks away from Kise's high school, he spotted a familiar blue-haired boy being pushed to an alleyway, fairly isolated to the crowd. When he saw Kuroko getting kicked in the stomach, he wasted no time and ran to that very direction. He doesn't care if it was girl or what; he pushed the first person he got his hands into and shoved them away roughly.

Kuroko looked at his sudden arrival, eyes round but almost teary, his hair was a mess and the bruise on his cheek worsened, just like what Midorima expected days ago.

The three other boys had the same uniform as Kuroko but their pants were a little shorter than required and their socks were not school standard. They stepped back when Midorima glared at them. The one he had shoved earlier fell flat on the ground, better- on a puddle and soaked his pants. They all frowned at Midorima in displeasure.

"It's not really my hobby to pick on _weak, stupid_ people but if I ever see one of you lay a single finger on Kuroko again, I swear, you bastards will regret having been born." He knew his voice was scary and Kuroko, to be honest, was somewhat terrified too—of Midorima's voice or of the boy's newly acquired injuries, Midorima can't tell.

The three looked at each other first and soon scrambled off like the cowards they were.

Midorima sighed. "Are you okay?"

"I am not." Kuroko replied and tried to get up from the ground. His knees received a bad fall and it proved to be true when he wasn't able to stand up. Midorima helped him and held him in the arms, supporting his back and fixed his hair gently afterwards.

"Can you walk?" He asked, ready to give Kuroko a piggy-back ride, but the boy merely shook his head. He let his back hit the wall and suppressed a sob. To be honest, he was really scared. "Just stay here with me." Kuroko murmured but loud enough for Midorima to hear.

"Please?"

Midorima seemed hesitant at first, thinking that it's better to take him to the hospital but the look on Kuroko's face told him not to. So he just stood there, looking at Kuroko's lithe frame. "Thank you…" he said. "…so much."

"You can cry if you want to."

Kuroko smiled but soon, the tears that were building on the corner of his eyes rolled down his bruised cheeks. He bit his lower lip, trying to stay collected but failed. Midorima just had to say nothing. Sometimes, crying is the most courageous thing to do.

He sobbed but once Kuroko felt warm hands on his cheeks, he forcedly opened his eyes with a feeble attempt and saw… saw that Midorima's face was moving closer and closer to his. And his lips too. The shorter boy's muscles ceased to move and soon enough, he felt those warm, soft lips pressing against his. It was only a light contact but he felt himself turned a hundred, thousands even, shades of red. Out of nowhere, Kuroko felt crying heavier… and he did. He was shaking uncontrollably now.

Midorima pulled away, confused but flushed too. "What now? Why are you _still_ crying?" His long fingers wiped the tears rolling down the boy's cheeks. Was it too bold for him to kiss Kuroko?

"I'm sorry -_sob- _ I was just happy." Kuroko choked in between low sobs. Midorima chuckled, threading his fingers through his silky azure strands. "Silly."

Seconds later, Kuroko pulled away from Midorima's touch, smoothened his hair and by his own hands, wiped his own tears. In Midorima's eyes, he looks like he was dolling himself up. Once sober, Kuroko looked up at the blinking boy that was inches taller than him and said, with a sensual curl:

"Alright, you can kiss me again if you like."

* * *

ugh I wish I could just own an overprotective Midorima though.

screw the disclaimer :)))

Comments please :3


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